My name is Jordan McChesney, and I'm a photographer based in Japan. Let me start by saying that I am not a professional photographer, and I’m well aware that my movement towards success is an ongoing process that is (hopefully) in the early stages of even bigger things to come. That being said, I think it’s a good idea to reflect on my last year or so of growth.
Instagram means different things to different photographers, whether that’s the place to search and be found for new work opportunities, the go-to spot for becoming inspired, or where to post photos and get feedback from the largest photography community on the Internet. At this point, it would be silly to not have an active account on Instagram, right? ...Right?
The Internet gives the illusion that everybody can be “somebody”. It surely has opened the door for some, but the hard truth is that most of us aspiring artists (including us photographers) remain largely unnoticed for our entire lifetimes, even with the mighty power of the Internet and social media.
Over the years I’ve often been asked how I went about making a certain image. That question is commonly asked in my workshops not only of me, but also my co-instructors, where open discussion about all images abounds. It’s a great question, because it gives real insight into the mind of the photographer.
England-based photographer Veronika Lavey is a self-taught artist who uses inspiration from poetry, novels, and personal emotions to produce moody, conceptual images that are akin to paintings.
Behind every once-in-a-lifetime photograph is a story. Sometimes these are stories of luck—of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right lens attached to your camera—but more often than not triumph is preceded by years of trial and error. An outlandish "bucket shot" achieved by the sheer force of the photographer’s will and persistence. The Black Leopard by wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas falls into the second category.
Teresa Freitas is a photographer, although her photographs look more like airy pastel paintings. Her imagery is not just art for art's sake, but she makes a living as a professional photographer working with brands like Adobe, American Express, Chloé, Club Med, DKNY, Dior, Fujifilm, HP, Huawei, Issey Miyake, Montblanc, Netflix, Olympus, Pantone, Polaroid, and more.
Commercial film director Nate Townsend produced this compelling short film that reminds viewers about the value and importance of capturing moments. Made as a reminder to his deceased father, Townsend's film is based on the dedication of preserving the passion of photography.
As part of a series by filmmaker Myles Matsuno, photographer Terry Fouche explains why he loves the art of photography. His words might resonate with those of you who pick up the camera just for the love of the craft.
The Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 competition has announced its winners, and a beautiful wide-angle photo of reef sharks below two seagulls shot in crystal-clear water took top honors among a wide variety of beautiful images from around the world.
Negative space in photography, design, sculpture, or any other creative pursuit is equally as important as is positive space in overall composition.
The popular outdoor photo planning app PhotoPills has picked 36 of the best Sun, Moon, and Milky Way photos captured by photographers in its community over the past year. If you need some photo inspiration and enjoy night sky shots, this is the gallery for you.
I recently discussed the rule of thirds and leading lines in photography. In this article, I'll cover symmetry and include some of my own symmetry photography examples to illustrate this.
It’s undeniable that life is often seen as a kind of race or competition, but I absolutely despise this idea.
In her ongoing series Reflections 2, photographer Ziqian Liu shows just how creative you can get when you limit your props and subject matter, and master composition instead. Throughout the series, Liu uses only herself, various plant life, the occasional fruit, and a round mirror to craft images that are at once symbolic and striking.
As any photo enthusiast will tell you (sometimes without you even asking), the benefits of photography go far beyond the ability to capture a moment or immortalize an expression. It goes beyond a mere understanding of color, or composition, or the ability to see the extraordinary hiding inside of an ordinary scene.
After being forced to shelter in place because of the spread of COVID-19, photographer Michael Shainblum found himself in a deep creative rut: he just stopped taking photos. In this 15-minute video, he explains how he pulled himself out of it.
2020 was not an easy year. The COVID-19 infested, politically-charged year drove us all a little mad. I started isolating in the first week of March -- I had a cold and really didn’t know what it was, so my family and I all stayed away from our respective jobs.
This year, as photographers, we've been challenged to look at more ordinary subjects closer to home in pursuit of continuing our photography. 2020 has pushed us to find creative potential in the more everyday and mundane, perhaps duping us in the process that these subjects are in fact worthy of our attention.
When I look back on 2020 in 5 or 10 years, I don't think I'll remember it as the year when a pandemic brought the photo industry to an economic standstill. I don't think I'll remember the CIPA numbers, or the R5 overheating debacle, or any of the virtual product launches. I'll remember 2020 as a year that helped us rediscovered the importance of photography.
Now and then, it just so happens that I find a show or movie that visually amazes me. I was blown away by the colors of Grand Hotel Budapest and by the cinematography of Birdman. The hit Netflix series The Queen's Gambit is one of those surprises that I have discovered recently.
We were several weeks into the lockdown. My optimistic attitude told me that it was the perfect time to write a book. Commercial shoots canceled, personal engagements canceled, nothing but time at home for the foreseeable future. How hard could it be?
The winners of the 2020 edition of Nature Photographer of the Year (NPOTY) were revealed today. The judges selected winners in multiple categories from a staggering 19,547 submitted images from 95 different countries.
I can’t remember the first crack I photographed. But I remember the huge crack in the plaster on the outside of my apartment building in San Rafael after college.
It happens to the best of us... and in 2020 it happens all the time: creative block. Whether it's a lack of inspiration, a lack of motivation, a lack of free time, or some combination of all three, we've all hit that wall where it feels like every one of our ideas is stale, everyone else is better or more prolific than us, and there's no real reason to keep trying.
There are many genres of photography, which I believe is what makes photography such a unique hobby or profession. The camera simply becomes a tool that facilitates a personal interaction with the wide range of variables in our culture.
Between 2010 and 2013, I toured the world for the first time. After living in Australia and Asia, I returned home but always felt like my urge to visit and live in foreign places was still not fully satisfied.
One of the best ways to broaden your horizons and inject a little inspiration into your photography is to explore subjects outside the world of photography. To study painting or take a course in graphic design, for example. But I recently discovered a fount of photographic inspiration in an unusual place: a neuroscience lab.
“MOVE OUT OF THE F**KING WAY!” is exactly what I remember the officer shouting at me as I made this photograph. The expression on his ruddy face, the jovial protestor with his thumbs up, all barrelling towards me as I burned the exposure onto the 13th frame of a roll of HP5+.
Lake Tahoe-based photographer Tajreen Hedayet made this short, sweet, and inspiring 2-minute video tutorial on six different editorial self-portraits you can try shooting at home if you're looking for a way to exercise your creative muscles.
Photography is close to impossible to do without a camera, so why do so many of us both love and hate the equipment side of things? For me, the hate comes down to distraction -- and a little bit of the love as well.
I don’t consider myself a genre-specific photographer. For me, sticking to specific genres is so limiting. I like to go out, explore the world, and see what attracts my eye.
When I was young, I had a vivid imagination but no real inclination towards art and creativity. I distinctly remember having trouble keeping my crayons within the lines of any coloring book I attempted. Fast forward to today and I’m 35 and have been a full-time professional photographer for seven years and a shooter for 13 years.
Photographer and YouTuber Frederik Trovatten has just released episode three of his popular "How to take photos like..." series. He started with Vivian Maier, moved on to Robert Frank, and this week he's breaking down the style and philosophy of the great Joel Meyerowitz.
Photographer Zsolt Repasy describes himself as a photographer of "folklore, traditions & forgotten values," and nowhere is that passion more obvious than in his images of Hungarian shepherds. After discovering that traditional shepherds are still alive and well in Hungary, he set out to immortalize their lives in a spirit of curiosity and openness.
Many of you, like myself, have gone through the journey of putting yourself out there as a creative. It’s a part of the territory that goes into showing people your work: whether that’s having an Instagram profile and networking, or opening up a YouTube channel. Some of us may go even further and begin teaching and becoming a person that others go to for information about our craft.
When I started freelancing as a professional photographer, I knew I had to put together a printed portfolio. Unfortunately, I found it very hard to find useful resources on the Internet on how to actually do this. As I had some experience in bookbinding I managed to bind my first book by myself, but after three books I realized that in this stage of my career, I needed to have something a little more flexible.
Award-winning drone photographer Brad Walls is back with another beautifully symmetrical photo series that recasts a familiar subject into an aerial perspective. His latest series invites the viewer to experience the beauty of ballet from above.
An anxiety-ridden nation trepidatiously waits as November 3rd and the 59th presidential election rapidly approaches. And with so many absentee ballots already dropped off in ballot boxes or mailed — not to mention wild stories of hours-long waits for eager early voters — early voting data suggests that voter participation in this election is set to make history.
Photographer Markus Hofstätter is known for pushing the art of wet plate photography in new and exciting ways, but... of course... it doesn't always work out. That's what happened in this video, where Hofstätter tries (and fails) to shoot wet plate photography with autofocus by putting a plate inside a Mamiya 645 AF AFD Polaroid Film Back.